The Calling of Destiny
by LWKitty
Summary: A new generation of Ronins are about to find out about their father's pasts and who they really are. The one thing different about this new generation of Ronins they're GIRLS! First story in series will be rewritten soon.
1. Descriptions

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Descriptions of Characters and a little heads up

Rylea 'Lea' Sanada(Rye-lee ah)

Age: 14

DOB: July 25

Hair: Dark brown, almost black

Eyes: Tiger blue like her father's

Height: 5'4

Astrological sign: Leo

Rylea 'Lea' Sanada is the daughter of Ryo and Luna Sanada. She is the youngest of two. Her older brother by 4 years, Ryu, is her only sibling. Rylea is basically a female version of her father. Her personality almost matches his with her stubborn, head strong attitude, but not exactly. She has a very close relationship to her father and you will find out why later on.

Rylea is a very skilled fighter thanks to her father, is in gymnastics and has a very out going personality. She's has the personality where she isn't afraid to get out and do something. She's like the one who would be the first one out on the dance floor while everyone else is still standing around.

With her love for dance and being a very good dancer, you can find her at the under aged clubs or at her Uncle's restaurant/club, her favorite hang out, on the weekends dancing it up.

Her sarcastic, outspoken, 'bigmouth' gets her into a lot of trouble at times. With a fiery temper, Rylea's the one who isn't afraid to stand up for what she knows is right and believes in when the times calls for it. If she doesn't like what you're saying or knows that it's not right, you're going to hear about it. Her friends and family mean the whole world to her and so she will protect them at all costs. Standing up for them when they need it and lending a shoulder for support.

Because she is the youngest and the shortest of the group she gets teased a lot by her friends. Not to mention she doesn't get taken seriously a lot because of her laid back attitude towards things. Her out look on life is just basically, live life to the fullest and don't let anyone tell you differently. In short she's labeled the 'party girl' of the group. Life is just too short to let people tell you what to do and keep you from having a good time.

Being the leader of the group she will have to lead them and make decisions for them. They will all look to her for the answers to things. Rylea has no problem with taking charge at times, but will having to do it all the time prove to be too much for her? Will she want to take up the responsibility of leader?

Rona Hashiba(Ron-ah)

Age: 14

DOB: January 27

Hair: A dark royal blue

Eyes: A mix of purple and blue

Height: 5'6

Astrological sign: Aquarius

Rona 'Rons' Hashiba is the daughter of Rowen and Kiylee Hashiba. Rona is the youngest of two with a brother, Kyle, 2 years older than she is. Rona's cousin is Rylea. Rona's mom is Rylea's, dad's, sister.

Rona is the intellectual, level-headed one of the group. Rona tends to try and stay away from trouble but can't seem to thanks to her cousin. Rona tends to like to think things through before she acts, something that annoys her cousin to death.

Being the oldest and second tallest one of the group, Rona tends to try to act more mature then the others. Chastising them for their unruly behavior or childish actions. Basically she tries to act like she is smarter than the rest of them at times and is too good to act her age. Although she can't keep the act up all the time. She gets labeled as a teacher's pet because she doesn't get in trouble a lot at school, unless her cousin gets her in trouble. She's the 'angle' of the group.

Rona is very close to her cousin Rylea and her brother Kyle. She might act like she's all shy and won't get in trouble or get into fights but cross her path on a bad day or hurt one of her friends and you will see a side of her you never knew. Tending to act like the shy, nice one of the group throws people off. You need a plan or help on homework, Rona's the one to go to.

Kami Mouri(Cam-e)

Age: 14

DOB: February 28

Hair: A light auburn red brown

Eyes: Almost a sea green like her father's, but just a little lighter.

Height: 5'5

Astrological sign: Pisces

Kami Mouri is the daughter of Cye Mouri. She is the youngest of two with an older brother, Tye, by 2 years. Kami is the sweet, 'quiet' one of the gang. She likes to cook with her father in her spare time. Kami hates to fight but will if it comes down to it, if that's the only way out of something. She tries to be nice to everyone and always has a smile on her face. She really doesn't have any enemies, being nice to everyone. Kami is very polite and well spoken; she tends to be the mediator of the group, breaking fights up and trying to stop them before they start. Usually having to break a fight up between Rylea and Heather.

Kami has the personality of someone who would give you the shirt off their own back if they needed to. Her best friend is Keish, which you will almost never see one without the other. Because Kami likes to cook, she's the one everyone goes to, to bake goodies and stuff for them. Everyone likes her cooking and would gladly eat at her house every night if they could. She may not be the shortest one of the group but she is the tiniest one, size wise. She's more petite and fragile looking than the others are. People sometimes pick her on for that, but Rylea's got her back when they do. Kami's love for the ocean and basically all water got her a spot on the swim team and has her hanging out at the beaches all the time or whenever she can. In short she's the cooker, quiet, swimmer one.

Heather Date

Age: 14

DOB: June 16

Hair: a light golden blonde

Eyes: A light blue

Astrological sign: Gemini

Heather, of course, is the daughter of Sage Date. Heather has an older brother by 2 years, Hojo. Heather tends to be the 'prep' of the group. Being a blond, cheerleader and a major flirt, awarded her that title. Don't get her wrong though, she's not a total flake. She doesn't like to fight, not for the same reasons as Kami though. She just thinks it takes too much energy and is just too dirty. She'd prefer shopping over a fight in the lunchroom any day.

Heather and Rylea don't really see eye to eye all the time, for obvious reasons. Heather can be very annoying at times with her attitude of 'I don't want to do that because I could break a nail' or 'I might get too sweaty if I do that.'

Heather may be a pain in the butt at times but if you ever need someone to help you when you're in a tight situation you can count on her. And don't let her blonde attitude fool you, she can be one tough cookie when she wants to be. Push her buttons too much and you will see that.

Keish Rei Faun

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Age: 14

DOB: May 21

Hair: Ash-blue

Eyes: Blue

Height: 5'6

Astrological sign: Taurus

Keish Rei Faun is, as if I have to say this, the daughter of Kento Rei Faun, with a brother, Kayto, two yrs older than her. Keish is a lot like her father in many ways. Quick to get into fights and acts like the class clown a lot. Keish and Rylea get along great with both having the same attitude at times and both girls having big appetites. Usually trouble follows them both around. Keish is the kind of person who would rather be out playing with the guys than going shopping. She's not a tomboy though, because she still dresses and acts like a lady.

All and all though she's a good person who you know has your back. Keish kinda tends to hang more with Rylea and Kami, for obvious reasons, than the others. Rylea likes to play sports and fight while Kami likes to cook. Good combo, neh?

Keish has a loud mouth and tends to not act very smart at times but don't let that fool you. She's very bright and just acts like she isn't, Rona gets on her about that a lot. Keish tends to also think that the only way to solve a problem is through brut strength. Thus she tends to act more before she thinks. It gets her into trouble a lot. Her father owns a restaurant/club and her, along with the others, hang there a lot. It's kinda like their meeting place. Basically Keish is just a fun loving girl who doesn't like to think before she acts.

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Things you should know:

In this story Luna didn't die in Gaiden, her and Ryo got married, obviously, and had kids. This story obviously takes place in the future time. It's also set in present day Tokyo or around there. It's set in Japan, let's leave it at that. Remember their astrological signs because those will come up again in the story, a little heads up on that.

This story is just going to be the starter for the real story. Its going to be just two parts, basically its going to be describing how the girls got their armors and then the second part is going to be just closing thoughts. I'm thinking about turning this into some kind of a series but I'm not sure yet. Read the two parts to this and if you like it tell me and I'll decide from there. Hope you like this kinda short story of mine.


	2. Part 1: The Calling

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Disclaimer and A/N: Well here we go, same old same old. I don't own the ronins or the plot to the Ronin Warriors. I do own, however, my characters and the plot to this story. If you read this story, like my characters, and would like to use them, please ask first. A few things that I forgot to add in the descriptions part of this was that I'm not really familiar with Japanese customs or traditions but will try to use them as much as possible in my story. Give me some slack though because I may not get them right all the time. Another thing is that you will find, as you read this, that I will have this story focus around Ryo and Rylea. Not to give you the wrong impression, I will have the other daughters and ronins in this. I will just have it basically being, kinda, centered on them. One because it's easier for me to pick a person or family in this case, and kind of have it centered on them. Two, Ryo was the leader of the Ronins and now Rylea has to take up that position so it would make sense to pick her and Ryo. Another thing is that this story will mainly focus on the Ronins and their daughters. Yes, the Ronins' sons will come in now and again, but it will mostly be centered on the girls and their Fathers. Ok now I think I have explained enough, have fun reading this and me making this into a series all depends on how many reviews I get.   
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The Calling of Destiny

Part 1

Every story starts out with, in way or another, something like this: It was a nice warm sunny day or The day started out perfect, right? Well what if the story started out like this...

"RYLEA!" Came the angry shout from a young man as he stood in his living room, tapping one foot angrily. "Rylea Marie get in here this instant!"

A little girl came skipping in to the man and hopped over to him, stopping in front of him. She flashed him a pearly white smile as her bright tiger blue eyes sparkled. "Hey, Daddy!" she said happily to him.

The young man looked down at the little girl who shared some of the same features as he, almost looking like a female version of himself. "Rylea, what did you do with the little red ball this time?"

The little girl took on a look of hard thinking as she thought. Her eyebrows pinching into a frown. After a few minutes she looked back up at the man as she started to sway from side to side with her smile returning. "I don' members. I had it and then I started to play whiff Whiteblaze," she said sweetly as Whiteblaze came over to her when she said his name. Rubbing his head against the little girl as he purred, almost knocking the poor little girl over as she giggled.

The young man couldn't help but smile and run a hand through his unruly black hair as he knelt in front of the little girl, "Jouchan what did Daddy tell you about playing with the little red ball?"

The little girl looked over at him, shaking her unruly dark brown hair that was almost black out of her face, "Umm...me not to play whiff it?" She said and grinned, her blue eyes sparkling again.

The young man chuckled, he could never stay mad at his daughter, "Oh, what am I going to do with you?" he asked himself, scooping his daughter up in his arms.

She giggled and wrapped her tiny arms around her father's neck, "You funny Daddy."

The young man smiled, his eyes lighting up as hers had, "Oh? I am, am I?" He said as he blew a raspberry on her cheek, making her laugh.

A young woman with long brown hair that was in a braid behind her and brown eyes walked in, smiling when she saw the two. "How cute. Sorry I have to end this but she needs to take a nap, Ryo."

"No!" the little girl shouted and wrapped her little arms around his neck again. Hiding her face in the crook of her father's neck.

The woman smiled and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her away from the man, "Come on, Rylea angel. You can play with Daddy later."

"Otay," she grumbled, reluctantly letting go and allowing the woman to take her.

Ryo chuckled, planting a kiss on her cheek, "Jouchan, it's not the end of the world."

The little girl laid her head down on her mother's shoulder and yawned. The woman smiled and gave the man a kiss, "I'll be right back. Somebody's tired," she said and walked up the stairs as the man sat down on the couch with a sigh, trying to figure out where his energetic daughter could have put his yoroi orb.

****

Present

A blue haired girl tried to make her way through the throng of kids who thought they had all the time in the world to waste as they crowded the small hall of the school. Her purple blue eyes scanned them, searching for one person in particular. Spying the unruly black-brown hair of her cousin she rushed over to her. "Hey!" she said as she walked up to her.

The black-brown haired girl turned around to see who had shouted that, smiling when she noticed who it was. "Hiya, Rona," she said brightly with a smile on her face.

"Hey, have you seen Keish, Kami, or Heather today?" Rona asked as they started to walk back down the hall in the direction that their classes were in.

"Hai, I saw Keish earlier; and well, it's kinda hard to miss Heather," Rylea answered her cousin.

"True," Rona replied with an acknowledging nod, "What about Kami?" she asked, going back to scanning the people they passed.

"Ah, I think I saw her before my second hour. She was going to the swim team meet."

"Oh, yeah that's right. I forgot they had one today," Rona replied sheepishly as Rylea smirked at her.

"Well if it isn't the little half-breeds," a voice viciously said from behind them as they walked on their way down the halls.

Both girls turned around to be met with a face they didn't want to see. Rylea smirked, placing a hand on her hip in a cocky manner as she replied, "What you want?"

"What I want are half-breeds like you, your cousin, and your friend Heather out of our school. You don't belong here," the unidentified male said to them, his eyes slanting into a glare at the two girls.

"Is that so?" she said back threateningly, taking a step towards him.

Rona grabbed onto her cousin's arm and pulled her back away from him, not wanting a fight to break out. "Why don't you get lost," she said, trying to sound as confident as her cousin had.

"I don't have to. You see, I belong here," he said back, getting up close and in their faces, "You two don't."

Rylea growled and tried to get herself free from her cousin's grasp, "We'll see how much you be talkin when I get my hands on ya!"

"Rylea!" Rona yelled at her hotheaded cousin, trying desperately to keep a grip on her.

The male laughed, "What are you going to do? Bite me half-breed."

"How bout you find out!" she yelled back, wrenching her arms from Rona's grip and pushing him, making him stumble back a few steps. He glared at her and pushed her back as kids started to crowd around them. Rylea growled, getting pulled into the pushing fight and shoving him back, "Come on!" she shouted angrily at him, geared up and ready to fight him if she had to.

He smirked, "You want some of this half-breed? Well you got it," he shouted, throwing a punch at her, which she dodged with ease. He growled and came at her again, she simply side stepped his fist and stuck her foot out. Laughing as she watched him fall to the ground.

"Rylea stop!" Rona shouted desperately at her cousin. Rylea ignored her as she watched the jerk get up.

"Is that all you got? Man and here I thought you'd be at least some kind of a challenge with all the big talk you be talkin," She cockily taunted him. "I think this half-breed is going to kick your good-for-nothing butt!"

He growled and got to his feet, "Like hell you will!"

"What's going on?" shouted a male's voice as he pushed his way through the throng of kids that had gathered around them, his violet eyes spied his nieces when he finally got through. "All right, everyone back to class. Move it, come on let's go!" he said as the kids started to obediently break apart and head for class. Once the crowd had dissipated, he then crossed his arms and looked over at his two nieces, "Well? Who wants to explain this?"

"Ah... konnichiwa Uncle Sage," Rona got out as she smiled nervously at him.

"Hi, Rona, Rylea. What was going on here?"

"Oh just a ronsou, conflict. Some jerk was giving us some trouble, that's all," Rona explained quickly for her uncle who didn't look too pleased with either of them.

"Is that right?" he said, nodding his head back and forth at what Rona had told him before then glancing over at the girl, "And Rylea you were?"

"Kicking his good-for-nothing butt," she replied, crossing her arms stubbornly over her chest. Rona smacked her forehead at her cousin's response, sighing to herself.

"So I could see. What's your father going to say about this, young lady?"

She shrugged, "Who knows, depends on what type of mood he's in."

Sage sighed, "Well, there's not much I can do to you two. Get your butts to class and stay out of fights. You hear me?" he said sternly to the two.

"Will do, Uncle Sage." Rona said as she began to pull her cousin down the hall, "Ja ne!"

Sage shook his head as he watched the two walk down the hall. Thanking the Gods that he didn't have a daughter like Rylea. He didn't think he could handle that; he had enough trouble with his own daughter. Chuckling at his thoughts he turned to exit the school building.

****

"Rylea Marie!" Ryo yelled angrily from where he stood in living room.

"Yea, Otosan?" Rylea asked, popping into the living room where he was standing with her brother.

Ryo crossed his arms and leveled a stern glare at his daughter, "Sit," he commanded her and she did as she was told, slipping into the chair across from her father. She looked from her father to her brother before lighting her blue-eyed gaze back at her father, confusion clearly written on her face.

Ryo raised an eyebrow at her, not looking too happy, "Something you want to tell me?"

A confused expression came over her face as she shook her head, her unruly dark brown hair that was almost black bouncing from either side as she did, "Nooo."

"Oh?" he said, blinking at her as he ran a hand through his unruly black hair with an exasperated sigh. "I got a phone call from you Uncle Sage today."

"Oh, heh, you did?" she stammered out, seeming to become nervous at the mention of him now.

"Hai," he said, his stern glare reappearing on his face once again. "Jouchan, what am I going to do with you?" he asked himself, sitting down on the couch as he loosened his tie.

"Daddy," Rylea waited until he had looked up at her before she continued, "If it makes you feel any better I didn't start the fight."

He chuckled at this as he sat back, "Oiy vey, if I would have known kids would have been this much trouble I never would have-" he stopped mid sentence and sighed.

"Otosan?"

"I'm going to say this one time and I hope it gets through to you, Rylea. I don't want to get another phone call or hear about you getting in trouble at school again, do I make myself clear?"

"But, Dad-"

"Do I?!" he asked her again, raising his voice a bit louder as his eyebrows pinched into a glare.

She stood up suddenly and glared defiantly at him, "No."

"Nani?" he said, surprised by her answer.

"If you don't care to hear about why I got into a fight, then I didn't hear anything you said," Rylea replied, turning on her heel and heading for her room without another word said to him.

"Rylea Marie Sanada, get your butt back down those stairs and in that chair!" he shouted up at her.

"NO!" she yelled back at him, slamming her bedroom door shut with a resounding bang.

Ryu winced at the sound, "Well, she's a regular firecracker, huh, Dad?"

Ryo sighed in nothing short of annoyance, "Yeah."

"Well," Ryu said as he stood from his seat on the couch, "I think I'm going to go. Kyle wanted me to meet him and Hojo at the dojo," he said as he made his way to the door, pulling his car keys from his back pocket.

"Yeah, all right," Ryo said as he too got up from his seat, but instead walked towards the kitchen.

"Hey," Ryu said, turning from the door to look at his father. "Give her some time to chill and everything will be back to normal. You'll see," he said and walked out the door, shutting it behind himself.

Ryo smirked to himself as he opened the fridge, "Yeah, that or I'll just go and have a chat with my fiery-tempered daughter," he said to himself, scanning the contents of the fridge.

Ryo walked up the stairs a little while after the argument and knocked on his daughter's door before he entered. "Hey," he said as he popped his head in the door. No reply came from the girl on the bed. He sighed and entered the room, sitting down on her bed so that he was facing her. "Wanna talk about it?"

"What's the point?" she fired back at him from her spot on her bed where she laid, not looking happy with him at the moment.

"Well," he started as he searched for the right words. "I should have maybe given you a chance to tell your side of the story before I started yelling at you."

"Naw, ya think?" she replied sarcastically.

"Rylea," he said in a warning tone, "either you talk to me with respect and like you're talking to your father -not some kid at school- or I'll leave your punishment on grounding and not give you a chance to tell your side of it."

She sighed and sat up cross legged on her bed, "Ok, gomen ne, Otosan."

Ryo smiled and put a comforting arm around her shoulders, "Now, what happened?"

"Basically what happens every day," Rylea answered him, her eyes pointed at the floor in a helpless way. "I get harassed because I'm.... I'm only half-Japanese," she added in a quiet voice as she looked at the floor.

"Koibito," Ryo said, wrapping his arms around his daughter.

"It's not fair! I look sorta Japanese, but still I get harassed," she protested loudly.

"Baby," Ryo said and took her by the shoulders sternly, looking her square in the eyes, "In this country if you aren't full blooded Japanese, then you're looked down on."

"Yea, so I know," she replied dryly, looking away from her father's gaze.

"Do you know how badly your Uncle Sage was teased and made fun of because he looked American?" he asked her, taking her chin in his hands and gently moving her face back to look at him. She shook her head and he continued, "Your Uncle Sage was mocked and made fun of everyday because he didn't _look_ Japanese. He still gets looked down on even today."

"Really?"

Ryo nodded. "Hai, even though the Date's are well known," he wiped away her tears with his thumb, "Koibito, you are a Sanada. Sanada's don't care what any one else thinks-"

"Because we are ninjas, who can kick butt," Rylea finished for him with an eye roll and a laugh.

Ryo smiled at his daughter, "That's right," he said with a chuckle, "And let me guess, because he had started saying things to you, you decided to beat him to a pulp?"

"Not a pulp dad, but yeah basically."

"Lea, Lea, Lea," he said and sighed, hugging her close as he thought aloud. "What am I going to do with you?" he mused to himself. "It was so much easier when you were still little."

"Arigatou, Otosan; thanks, Daddy," she said and hugged her dad back, laughing at his comment.

"That's what I'm here for, now," he said, pulling away from her so that he could look at her again. "I don't know about you but I'm starving. How about we go get some food and make it a father daughter night?"

"Hai, I think that's a great idea," Rylea replied, nodding her head some with a smile.

Ryo kissed her forehead and stood to exit her room, "Come on then." Rylea smiled as she followed after her father. Shaking her head some at how his moods could change so quickly.

****

A man watched from the shadows as the car pulled up to the house, a young girl with a man got out and headed for the large two-story house that sat before him. He kept himself hidden from sight though, his eyes silently watching the two as they entered into the house and out of sight.

The smiled some to himself. "Well, Wildfire, it is time to pass the armor on. I know this is going to be hard for you to do though, especially since you never wanted her or your son to know about your past and have to fight," he sighed to himself. "But you must. It is her born destiny, her and the other Ronin's daughters, to fight this new evil. The world depends on them," he said sadly to himself, turning from the house and walking a few steps before he faded from sight.

****

Ryo sat with his daughter on the couch while they watched whatever happened to be on the TV at the time, the contents of what dinner had been still lay on the coffee table in front of them.

Rylea yawned loudly and laid her head down on her father's shoulder, starting to close her eyes as sleep started to tug at her. Ryo smiled as he felt her head fall onto his shoulder, knowing all too well that she would be falling asleep there shortly and looked down at her to say, "I think its bedtime for somebody."

"Nuuh," she grumbled out in reply to his statement, snuggling closer to her father.

Ryo smiled down at the sleepy girl as a light chuckle escaped him. "Come on, time to go to bed," he said as he tried to get her to stand up by gently pushing her up from her half lying down position on his shoulder.

Rylea grumbled in protest to being bothered but complied as she sat up, rubbing at her eyes tiredly. "Fine," she mumbled, stumbling towards her room, her eyes still half closed.

Ryo couldn't help but laugh some at his daughter, shaking his head. He stopped suddenly, his old warrior senses picking up an energy. He stood, looking up at his daughter's room first to make sure she had made it there. Seeing that she had, he picked up the remote and clicked off the tv, plunging the room into total silence. He cautiously scanned the room with his eyes, searching for an intruder. Whiteblaze came up to him from where he had been laying on the floor, now aware that something was wrong. His ears twitched as he tried to pick up the sounds of someone. "Who's here?" Ryo asked.

"It is time," a man's voice said as the person it belonged to walked out from the shadows. The man wore gray and white robes, carrying some kind of a staff with him. He had shoulder length dark brown hair that was graying in some parts and steel gray eyes that seemed to hold a wisdom all of their own.

Ryo looked over at him, taken back by his sudden and silent appearance, "Time for what? Who are you? What are you talking about?"

"I am Leinto. You know what I am talking about for you have been dreading this day for a while now," the man replied in a very vogue way.

Ryo's eyes became as wide as saucers at his words, getting what he was hinting at finally. "No," he whispered, shaking his head stubbornly. "No."

"Yes," Leinto said as he walked closer to him, "It is time for her and the others to awaken to their destinies."

"No," Ryo replied stubbornly again. "I have worked too hard to make sure that she wouldn't find out about that and you want me to let her start fighting now?"

"I understand your feelings on this, but there is no way around it."

"Haven't I lost enough?!" he shouted at him, his temper starting to flare. "I lost Luna and now you're asking me to have my daughter start fighting?"

Leinto sighed, "I am sorry, but my time is short. I think you should tell her, Wildfire. It will make things easier when the time comes. Think it over," he said, fading from sight.

Ryo sighed to himself, running a hand through his hair, looking up to his daughter's room, "I can't do it." Whiteblaze looked up at his master, his chocolate brown eyes showing that he understood what was going on.

****

Rylea stood at her door with her ear pressed against it, confused by the conversation that she had just heard downstairs. She scrambled from the door and jumped in her bed when she heard her dad coming towards her room. Throwing the covers over her she closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep as the door opened.

Ryo smiled sadly as he walked over to her bed, sitting on the edge of it next her. Taking her hand in his he rubbed it affectingly as his eyes looked over her. "I'm sorry that this is going to happen to you Lea. I tried-" he choked on his words as tears rolled down his cheeks.

Rylea felt a tear land on her hand and knew he was crying. This confused her; he never cried. _The only time he ever really cried… was when mom…_She stopped herself from continuing her thought as a lump started to form in her throat.

"I'm sorry, Jouchan," he whispered to her, planting a kiss on her cheek and brushing a few strands of her unruly bangs out of her face before he got up, walking slowly out of her room ---his shoulders slouched in a defeated look.

Rylea opened her eyes and stared off into nothingness as she pulled the blankets tighter around herself. _Wildfire? Where have I heard that name before? What were Dad and that man talking about?_ She thought to herself as she slowly let sleep take her into its grasp and let her wondering thoughts fade to the back of her mind momentarily.

****

Ryo, picking up his paper to read it, sat down at the table with Ryu. He glanced over at his son with a quizzical expression when Ryu started to laugh out loud, raising a questionable dark eyebrow at his son. Ryu looked up at him with a grin. He looked more like his mother with his brown hair and dark brown eyes. He held up the cell phone he had in his hands as Ryo mouthed an 'oh', going back to his newspaper. Technology was no new thing to him.

Rylea came walking into the kitchen, covering her mouth as she yawned loudly. It being Saturday, she was wearing a red jogger suit that was trimmed in white instead of her school uniform. "There's a latte on the counter for you, Lea," Ryu said, not bothering to look up at her from his cell phone conversation.

Rylea grabbed the foam cup from the counter and walked back over to the table, pulling her chair out from the table she turned it around so that she was sitting in it backwards. She leaned over as she sipped at her latte to see what her brother was doing. Ryu looked over at her, noticing what it was she had done before he went back to his cell phone, punching the buttons on the little thing.

Ryo brought his newspaper down to look over at his daughter with a perplexed and mirth filled smirk, "You're up early, Lea."

"Huh?" she replied, turning her bright blue gaze over at him, shrugging some in the process. "I couldn't sleep." she said, moving some of her unruly bangs out of her face.

Ryo frowned at his daughter, "What's the matter? Are you feeling ok? Ryu feel your sister's forehead for me."

Ryu looked up at his father briefly before doing as he was told and placed his hand on his sister's forehead, "She doesn't have a fever, Dad."

Rylea sighed, fixing her hair back in a ponytail as she blew furtively at her bangs that seemed to hang in her face. "I'm fine, Daddy," she commented in reaction to the unconvinced look she got from him. "Honest."

"Alright, but I want you to take it easy today. You hear me, young lady?" he asked her, pointing his index finger at her for emphasis.

Rylea smiled, rolling her eyes as she nodded her head. "Yes, Dad," she said mockingly. Ryo then lightened his gaze at her as he went back to his newspaper again.

After a few minutes of silence Ryu started to laugh again, gaining the attention of his sister and father. Rylea rolled her eyes as she grabbed her latte and walked into the living room, clicking on the tv as she plopped down on the couch. Ryo just shook his head at his son as he went back to his newspaper to hopefully finish reading it.

****

"Do you guys have any idea why our fathers had us all get together?" Heather asked, her light blue eyes lighting up as she talked to her friends.

"No," came the response from Keish. She pulled her ash-blue hair up into a ponytail, looking at the others as she did so.

"My dad didn't tell me anything either," a sweet voice answered with a hint of a British accent.

"Same with me, Kami," Rona agreed with the petite brunette.

"What about you, Rylea?" Keish asked the shaggy haired girl standing next to her.

Rylea shook her head, her ponytail swinging from either side as she did. "Iie, nope. He just told me to get in the car, and I ended up here."

"I think something's up," Rona stated, tucking some of her royal blue hair behind her ear in a nervous fashion.

"I wonder what though," Heather voiced quietly.

"I think we're going to get our answers," Kami replied in whisper to the others around her, motioning with her head towards the door where their fathers were now walking through, coming back into the dojo where they had left the girls.

"Let's go Rylea," Ryo ordered his daughter, a not so happy look on his handsome face as he walked towards the exit.

"Nani?" she asked in confusion, starting to follow after him.

"Don't 'nani' me; I said come on," he replied coldly, keeping his back to her as he made his way to the car.

"Hey Lea, I'll talk to you later!" Rona shouted after her cousin as she watched her walk away.

"Hai, we'll all meet up somewhere or something!" Keish shouted too after her.

Sage crossed his arms and leveled his violet eyes into a glare at Ryo's back, "I can't believe him."

Rowen sighed, "You can't blame him though, Sage."

"You're just saying that because you're married to his sister, Rowen," Kento retorted, crossing his arms over his broad chest.

"Come on now guys. None of us really want to," Cye added, hoping to keep a fight from starting.

All four of them spoke amongst themselves, forgetting that their daughters were still in the room with them. The four young girls looked over at their fathers with very confused looks on their faces, not understanding what they were discussing. "Really want to what, Dad? Why did uncle Ryo storm out like that with Rylea?" Kami asked her father.

"Nothing, Kami, sweetie. Uncle Ryo just...." Cye said and stopped as he searched for the right words.

"Had a temper tantrum," Kento finished for him rudely.

Rowen sighed as his beeper went off. He took it off the clip on his pants and looked at it, "I've got to go. Come on Rona," he said, walking towards the exit as Rona followed after her father.

"Must have been the hospital paging him again," Sage commented, watching his best friend walk away.

"Well, I'm going to go dudes, ja ne," Kento said, beginning to walk towards the exit as well. "Keish you coming?"

"Hai, I'm coming, Otosan," she shouted after her father, running to catch up with him.

"Well," Sage started, looking over at Cye when Kento had left, "What should we do?"

"I know!" Heather shouted with a bright smile on her face, "We can go shopping!"

Sage laughed some, giving his daughter an exasperated look, "Heather you've already maxed me out for the whole month almost."

"So?" she asked, not seeming to understand what he was saying to her.

"So no shopping for you for a while."

"But, Dad!" she whined.

"Don't 'but Dad' me, Heather. You heard me."

Kami couldn't help but laugh at the pout face Heather made. Cye cleared his throat and began to walk towards the exit, "So I'll talk to you later, Sage, ja ne."

"Yeah, ok," he said, watching Kami and Cye leave. Sage sighed and ran a hand through his blonde locks, looking over at his daughter who had a disappointed pout on her face. "Heather, dear, please don't give me that look."

Heather placed her hands on her small hips and glared at her father, "You're being unfair though."

Sage smiled at his daughter's antics, placing an arm around her shoulders as he started to walk towards the exit himself. He stopped when he was outside and locked the door to the dojo before he continued to walk with his daughter to the car, "No I am not, I just spoil you too much."

"So?" she asked, walking along side her father with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Heather stop it. You're not deprived one little bit, so stop acting like you are," he replied, starting to become annoyed by his daughter's attitude.

"Fine," Heather retorted, getting in the car. Sage sighed and rolled his eyes up to the sky before he got in the car too, mouthing a 'why me' to himself.

****

Ryo walked in, slamming the door behind him. Rylea visibly jumped at the sound, turning around to look at her father as he stormed past her. He jingled the car keys he had in his hands like he was bouncing a baseball before he took them and flung them at the wall. They connected with the barrier with a loud bang before falling back to the floor motionless. He then started to pace back and forth in the living room, all the while cussing loudly in Japanese to himself.

Rylea backed away from her father, far away. Actually, afraid of him for the first time in her life. She watched with wide, fearful eyes as he continued to cuss, pacing in the front room. Whiteblaze came out from the kitchen to see what all the commotion was about. He stopped and stared at his master, not sure what to do.

"Daddy?" Rylea said timidly, almost afraid that he might turn on her if she gained his attention.

Ryo looked over at her after a few moments. His heart sunk when he saw the fearful look in her tiger blue eyes. He ran a shaky hand through his black hair as he sighed loudly. "Come here,

Lea," he said quietly, almost too quietly for her to hear him. Rylea looked at him quizzically, almost afraid of what he would do if she did. Ryo sighed and tried to smile to reassure her that it was ok, "Koibito, come here."

Rylea walked cautiously over to him, still unsure of what he would do. Ryo wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug when she made it over to him, hugging her as if he didn't want to let her go. "Otosan?" she said, looking up at him quizzically.

He held her tighter, resting his chin on the top of her head, "Gomen ne, I'm sorry Lea. I didn't mean to scare you like that."

"It's.... ok," she replied hesitantly, resting her head against her father's chest.

Ryo sighed as he rubbed his daughter's back soothingly, "No, its not. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."

Rylea pulled away from her father, looking up at him curiously, "Why did you lose your temper?"

He smiled half-heartily at her, tucking some of her unruly bangs behind her ear before he spoke, "Its nothing baby. Just never mind."

Rylea was going to press the issue more, but when she looked at her father's sad face she decided against it, "Ok, Dad."

Ryo smiled sadly at her, kissing the top of her forehead. "Good, now I'll be out in the back if you need me," he told her, his voice now almost in a whisper.

"Ok," Rylea replied, putting her hands in the back pockets of her jogger pants. When he said he was going out back meant her was going to go do some training.

He tried to smile as he walked away from her but it came out as a strained, sad look instead. Rylea bit her lip before she walked over to the phone, picking it up she dialed her cousin's number and then waited for her to answer.

****

After telling Rona to come and get her so they could do some 'studying' at the library, Rylea walked outside to the back yard to tell her Dad. She stopped and watched him train for a few minutes. His movements with the katana blades were graceful but yet powerful, almost like he was moving in one fluid movement. When she was a child, she had always loved watching her Dad practice. It was kind of like her favorite pastime, something she would do when she got bored. She stepped off the back porch and shouted to him, "I'm going to the library for a while, Dad."

Ryo stopped mid swing with his katana blade and looked over at his daughter, "Ok, you want me to drive you or pick you up?"

"Nah, I got aunt Kiylee to do it for me," she replied with a smile. Rylea picked up one of his practice katana blades and swung it expertly around herself before pointing it at her father in a traditional stance, something he had taught her to do.

Ryo shook his head at her, "You got her to, huh? Ok, if you're sure."

She heard a horn beep from the driveway and glanced over her shoulder to see her aunts car in the driveway. Replacing the katana blade she ran to the car, shouting over her shoulder, "Be back later, ja ne, Dad!"

Ryo shook his head at his daughter, watching her run off and get in the car. He then resumed his practice, trying to keep his mind off his problems. He swung the blades harder, fighting the imaginary adversary with more power.

****

Rona and Rylea got out of Rona's mom's car as they made their way into the library. Meeting up with Kami, Keish and Heather who were already inside. "Ok, so tell me again what we're looking for?" Keish asked, browsing through some books on the shelf.

"Anything on Samurai Legends or something that has to do with that," Rylea answered as she, too, browsed through the selections.

"And just why are we looking for this?" Heather asked, annoyed that she had been dragged into it.

"Because I want to see if what I think is true," Rylea replied over her shoulder as she continued to browse.

"And that applies to us how?" Heather asked again, leaning against a table that was close to the bookshelf they were all looking at.

"Because if this is what I think it is, then it effects us all!" Rylea replied, starting to become annoyed by her blonde friend.

"Don't start you two," Kami put in quickly, sensing that fight may break out between them.

"Hai, please not now," Rona added in a pleading manner.

"I'm not.... hey!" Rylea shouted happily as she pulled a book from the shelf. "I think I found it!"

"Well, its about time," Heather commented, coming over to look at the book.

They all gathered around her, looking over the book she now held in her hands. "Samurai Legends and Myths," Rylea read out loud to the others.

"Ok, so this is what you were looking for? How is this stupid old book supposed to 'effect us all?'" Heather asked, not seeming to be impressed by the book.

"Look I heard my Dad and this guy having a conversation a couple nights ago, and I think the answer to what they were arguing about is in this book," Rylea replied, walking over to the table Heather had been leaning against and sitting down at it.

"Does anyone else here think she's just wasting our time?" Heather asked sarcastically.

"Can it, blondie," Keish said, finally fed up with her attitude.

"Lea, what is so important about this book?" Rona asked her cousin.

"You'll see," Rylea answered, opening the book and beginning to look over it contents. "Now to get some answers." All five girls crowded around Rylea as she flipped through the book. Their eyes becoming larger and larger at the pictures in the book and the legend in it. Rylea frowned more and more as it became clear to her what the book was talking about.

****

Ryo looked over in the direction of the door as he heard it open. Saying a silent 'arigatou' that she was ok. Rylea came into the living room, spying her father on the couch and walked over to him.

"Hey, Lea. Have fun at the library?" he asked her as he saw her walk into the living room, clicking off the tv.

Rylea tossed the book she had checked out at the library at him. Crossing her arms over her chest as Ryo looked up at her with a puzzled expression. "Explain. I think you owe me that much, Wildfire," she spat at him crossly.

Ryo looked up at her when she said his armor name. The color draining from his face, "Nani-what did you call me?"

"Wildfire. That is, was, still is your armor, right?" Rylea asked him, her voice dripping with anger.

"Jouchan, I don-"

"Don't 'Jouchan' me! I heard you talking to some guy, and he called you Wildfire. You are Wildfire, and you owe me an explanation!" her tiger blue eyes flashed with an inner fire as she looked intently at her father, waiting for the explanation she thought she deserved from him.

Ryo sighed and cast his eyes to the floor, "Rylea I didn't want you to know."

"Why?" she snapped at him, "That's what you and my uncles were talking about, wasn't it? That's what you were so mad about!"

"Rylea-"

"I can't believe you!" Rylea shouted at him as she ran to her room.

"Rylea!" Ryo shouted after her, cursing when she didn't acknowledge him. He looked down at the book in his hands, flinging it across the room out of rage. "Damn it!" he yelled in anger at himself.

****

Ryu walked down the stairs as he shook his head at his father who was sitting on the couch. Ryo put his head in his hands as he sighed. Ryu looked over at him, "What did you say or do to her, Dad? She's pretty mad."

Ryo looked up at him with a defeated look, "I kept a very big secret from her." At the raised eyebrow he got from Ryu he sighed, "Do me a favor and call your uncles for me. Tell them to get over here and bring the girls with them."

Ryu nodded and did as he was told. Ryo looked up at his daughter's room and decided to try and get her to come out. All he could do was hope that he hadn't ruined the relationship he had with her by not saying anything about the secret sooner.

****

Later on that night as everyone was sitting in Ryo's spacious front room, the ronins decided it was time to tell their daughters the truth. "We have something we need to tell you all," Ryo started, glancing over at his daughter who wouldn't even look at him.

"Now, you may not believe us at first," Rowen continued for him. "But what we say is true."

"What? About you all being the Ronin Warriors?" Rylea asked, her words dripping with hatred and hurt.

"Hai, how did you-" Sage started before she cut him off.

"Know? We all know. The only thing is we had to find out about it from a book instead of our fathers," she finished, looking over at her father with a hatred-filled glare.

"So that's why you all met at the library," Kento summed up, feeling proud that he had put two and two together.

"Hai," Keish answered her father.

"Well then," Cye said, not sure of what else to say.

"You know of their secret, little ones; but do you know that you will all have to take their places?" Leinto's voice added to the conversation as he walked from the shadows, stopping in front of everyone.

"Who are-" Rona started.

"Who am I? I am Leinto; I will be your charge," he spoke, bowing his head slightly to them.

"Charge?" Heather spoke up from her seat, not seeming to understand what it is was he meant.

"Yes, kind of like a guardian to you all," he replied, his steel gray eyes looking at each of the girls.

"What do you mean by 'you will all have to take their places?' " Kami asked, almost afraid of what the answer would be.

"A new evil has arisen. It is your destiny to fight it. You will each be given your respective father's armor to fight the evil with," Leinto clarified for her.

"Woo, woo, woo, hold it right there!" Keish said as she held up her hands. "_We_ will be given our Dads' armors? _We_ will have to fight some crazy dude?"

"Yes, that is what I said," he confirmed, nodding his head some in her direction.

The girls, minus Rylea, looked over at their fathers to confirm that what he was saying was true. When they did, they all looked back at Leinto with wide, confused eyes. "This is some kind of a bad dream. Any minute now I am going to wake up in my bed," Heather said, slowly sitting back against the couch.

"I wish it were Heather. It's not though, honey," Sage replied regretfully, looking over at her.

"I don't have a lot of time to talk. We will all meet here tomorrow, since Ryo has the largest yard," Leinto said and looked over to Ryo who nodded, showing he understood.

"I will see you all bright and early tomorrow then," he added with a slight bow to them and was gone.

Soon after Leinto had left, everyone else left as well. The girls were still in shock at what they had just been told and learned of, while their fathers wished that none of what Leinto said had been true. They were all praying that it all wasn't happening, but they all knew that it was. Soon they would have to fight, and there was nothing they could do to prevent it. Destiny was destiny and it could not be changed.

****

Ryo sighed and looked over at his daughter when they were all gone. She refused to look at him still, keeping her gaze pointed at the floor. "Rylea-"

"How could you?" she spat at him before he could get a sentence out, turning her face to look at her father. Her pretty face held a very mad glare now; her deep blue eyes searched his for some kind of an answer.

"Rylea, I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was protecting you!" Ryo shot back at her.

"Yeah, just like you protected Mom, right?" Rylea shouted at him, standing while she clutched her hands into fists at her sides. She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to keep her tears from falling.

Ryo stared at his daughter, studying her before he spoke, "Lea, what's really bothering you?"

"You want to know what's bothering me?" she yelled at him, "My father is or _was_ some kind of great warrior. But he couldn't even-" She stopped herself as the tears began to roll down her face.

"Koibito," Ryo said quietly as he stood, putting his arms around her. She only wrenched away from him.

"Mom is dead and its all your fault!" she yelled at him, choking back a sob. "And then you've practically lied to me my entire life!"

"Rylea, there was nothing I could do to save her. If I could have, don't you think that I would have?" he roared back at her. "I did what I thought was the right thing. I wanted to shield you from what I had to go through."

"Mom was protecting me from those people because she knew that they wanted me, wasn't she?! She died protecting me from people who knew who I really was, didn't she?!" Rylea yelled at him, her tears flowing freely down her face now.

"Baby," Ryo said soothingly, trying to comfort his daughter. She just pulled away from him again.

"Don't touch me!" Rylea shouted to him as she slanted her eyes into a piercing glare at him.

Ryo frowned at her, "Rylea calm down. Why are you bringing this up now? It's been almost ten years since that happened."

"You didn't answer my question!"

"Yes, Rylea, she was. She died protecting you. Something that I would have done in a heart beat!" he yelled at her as he short temper reached its limit. "I wish, God do I ever wish, that I could go back to that day. If I would have just come back home earlier, then maybe-" Ryo stopped, feeling hot tears start to well up in his eyes. He shut them, trying to stop the tears from falling down his cheeks as he turned his face away from her.

Rylea looked over at her father, her tear-filled eyes studying him. He never talked about that day, and to hear him say something like that really surprised her, "Dad I-"

"Gomen ne, Rylea," Ryo said, cutting her off. "I'm sorry that I kept the knowledge of your birthright away from you. I just thought that I was being a good father by not telling you," he looked up at her, his eyes showing remorse and sincerity.

Rylea looked at him as more tears fell from her blue eyes. "Oh, Daddy!" she cried, flinging herself into his arms, crying harder than she had before.

Ryo choked back a sob as he held her tightly, soothingly rubbing her back to calm her, "Shh, angel, its ok. Everything's going to be ok, I promise, Koibito."

Rylea held onto her father tighter as she repeated apologies to him for what she had said. Ryo simply chuckled as he pulled away from her to look at her tear stained face, wiping away the new tears that had fallen on her already tear stained face, "You don't have to apologize to me. You had every right to say what you said."

She sniffled, gaining control over her tears, "No, I didn't. What I said was mean and unfair."

Ryo pulled her back into his embrace, smiling some, glad that she wasn't mad at him anymore, "Lea, sweetie, it's ok. I still love you more than life itself."

Rylea hugged him back, now understanding why he had kept it from her, "I love you, too, Dad."

"Aw, now this is a Kodak moment," Ryu said, smiling at the two. "Too bad I don't have my camera."

Ryo laughed and held out his arm to him, "Come on Ryu. Join in on the hug."

Ryu reluctantly walked over and joined in, wrapping one of his arms around his little sister and the other around his father's shoulders, "One big family group hug. Gotta love em."

Ryo smiled at Ryu's words, "I am the luckiest father alive. I have two of the greatest kids in the world."

"You sure it's two dad?" Ryu asked with a wry smile.

"Hey!" Rylea shouted as she tried to hit him.

"Ha ha! You missed me!" Ryu shouted happily, dodging his little sister's hand when it came at him again.

Rylea growled as she gave chase after her much older brother, "Get back here! Ryu!"

Ryo laughed to himself at his children's behavior as he sat down on the couch. Clicking the TV on as the sounds of a splash and then angry shouts could be heard. He turned the TV up louder to drown out the sounds outside. Whiteblaze came in and sat down next to his master's feet, not wanting to be anywhere around the two siblings.

****

The early morning sun peeked through the window and onto the sleeping form that lay sprawled out on the bed. The covers hung half off the bed along with an arm and a leg. The other arm and leg laid out on the bed, the young girl they belonged to laying on her stomach. Her head rested on her mattress with her pillow above her head, the covers half-covering her body and her unruly black-brown hair half-covering her face.

As she slept, her brother Ryu opened her door slowly and quietly, peeking in to see if she was up yet or not. He grinned from ear to ear when he saw she wasn't, trying not to laugh as he stealthily made his way over to her. Stopping a few feet from her bed he shouted, "RYLEA!"

The young girl screamed, falling from her bed and landing on the floor face first with a loud thud. Ryu busted out laughing, not being able to keep it in any more. "RYU!" came the angry yell from the poor girl as she tried to sit up.

Ryu simply laughed more, walking out of her room, seemingly unperturbed by her cry of fury. The young girl sat up, wincing as she rubbed her head. She'd have a pretty good-sized knot there later. Looking up at her clock, she groaned more when she read the digital read out on it, seeing how early it was. Ryo came walking into her room then, puzzled as to what had just taken place not too long ago.

"Lea you up yet?" he asked his daughter, walking over to her. Grumbles and groans came as his answer. He chuckled, crouching down next to the still asleep girl. "Come on, everyone's going to be here soon sweetie. You gotta get up."

"Nuh," she slurred out, letting gravity start to pull her towards the floor again.

"Oh no you don't, Ryo said, stopping her before she could hit the floor. "Come on, Rylea, time to wake up." Picking her sleeping form up, he slung her over his shoulder and started to make his way out of her room and towards the bathroom.

"Huh, wha?" she got out, startled awake by his actions. "What are you doing, Dad?"

"Making sure you're awake," he simply stated to her.

Her eyes widened in horror when she realized where he was taking her. "No!" she shouted, starting to squirm under his hold. "I'm up! I'm up Dad!"

He laughed, still making his way in the direction of the bathroom, "No, I think a nice cold shower will wake you up."

"No!" she screamed, trying desperately to get away from her father. "Lemme go! I'm awake!"

Ryo laughed more, "Ok, ok, Lea. Stop kicking me!" Ryo said, gently taking his daughter from his shoulder and setting her down.

Rylea fixed her tank top, all the while glaring at her father who only grinned back at her, "If its not Ryu coming in and scaring me half to death, then its you carrying me outta my room and to a COLD shower!"

"I'm just sorry he didn't make it there with you. That would have been fun to see," Ryu said, a huge grin on his face as he casually leaned against the wall.

"Why you!" Rylea yelled at her brother, lunging at him.

"Whoa! Hold it right there!" Ryo shouted, snagging his angered daughter around the waist, pulling her back before she could tackle her brother to the floor.

"Temper, temper Rylea," Ryu mockingly said to her, seeming to be amused by her antics.

"I'll show you temper, temper!" she shouted back at her brother, trying to get to him.

"Rylea Marie, stop!" Ryo sternly said to his daughter, keeping his hold on her; Rylea obediently stopped. "Ryu quit antagonizing your sister," he added to his son with a glare.

Ryu innocently held his hands up, turning and walking away from the two with a smile, "Never have any fun around here."

"Fun?" Rylea repeated. "Ha! He jus likes to annoy me," she said, crossing her arms over her chest in a stubborn, indignant manner.

Ryo sighed, "What ever will I do with you two?" he asked himself out loud.

"Kick him out maybe?" Rylea suggested with a wry smile, looking up at her father.

"Kick him out, huh?" Ryo repeated, hugging her close as he began to tickle her sides, smiling when she started laughing and trying to escape from his grasp. Stopping his tickling rampage, he held her close in a tight hug for a minute before she finally squirmed away from him. He smiled sadly as he watched her walk down the stairs, jumping the last two and skipping into the kitchen, remembering when she was little and how she used to do that. His trip down memory lane was cut short when the sounds of arguing downstairs snapped him back to the present. He sighed, shaking his head and walking down the stairs to the kitchen to the stop the argument before it turned into a brawl.

****

Not long after that, everyone else had shown up with their daughters. None looking too happy about the circumstances involving them being there though. The fathers all talked amongst themselves in the kitchen over coffee while their daughters waited outside for the charge, Leinto, to show up.

Heather looked over at Rylea as she walked outside to join the others. "Rylea I can't believe you're still in your pjs," she said, eyeing her clothes with distaste.

Rylea yawned loudly, "Yea, well what else did you expect from me?"

"Not much," Heather added under her breath.

"Please, you two," Kami said, eyeing the two.

"Don't start," Rona finished for her.

"Aw, let them go. Hey Lea, show me how to do that backhanded spring, leg out into a twist thing you were doing a couple days ago," Keish said, looking over at her.

"Now?" Rylea asked, a little surprised by her request.

"Well, what else do we have to do at the moment?" she asked back.

"Yes, please do. Show us all how to do whatever it was Keish said," Heather replied sarcastically.

"Fine, I will," Rylea retorted back to Heather.

"Oh good lord," Kami commented exasperatedly.

"I hear ya, Kami," Rona replied, annoyed by how childish her cousin and friend could be at times.

Rylea rolled her baggy plaid sweats down one more time before she walked away from them, standing so that she was facing them. Rylea swung her arms behind her before she brought them back over her head and back as she went into a backhanded, leg out spring which then went into a full leg out twist before landing back on her feet beautifully with practiced grace.

"Yeah, you show her what you got girl!" Keish yelled encouragingly to her.

Rona smiled at her cousin, giving her a high five when she walked past her, "Nice job, Lea."

"How'd ya like that Heather?" Rylea asked, a wry smile played across her face.

"Oh please, you're such a show off, Lea," Heather retorted, not seeming to be impressed by her.

"Here we go again," Kami said, sighing as she shook her head.

"Yea, yea, yea," Rylea replied, waving her off as she yawned. "I'd like to see you and your little cheerleading squad do that."

"Why you-" Heather said as she lunged for her, getting held back by Kami before she could lay a finger on Rylea.

Rylea simply blinked at the blonde before she started to laugh, "No, let her go Kami. Let's see what the _cheerleader_ can do."

"Just let me at her!" Heather shouted angrily, trying to break free from Kami's grip.

"Heather!" Kami yelled, trying to keep her hold on the blonde.

Rylea just laughed more, "Come on, Kami, she won't fight me. She wouldn't want to break a _nail_."

"Grrr, that's it!" Heather shouted angrily, trying to get free from Kami.

Rylea and Keish both busted out laughing at this, leaning on each other for support as they laughed uncontrollably, "Look at that, Keish. I think the little che-"

"That's enough out of you, Lea," Rona said sternly, clamping her hand over her cousin's big mouth.

"If this is what I have to work with, then we have a lot of work to do," Leinto said, appearing in front of them. His steel gray eyes seemed to twinkle as if he were secretly laughing at them, a smile starting to tug at the corners of his mouth.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Keish asked, not sure if she had just been insulted or not.

"Never mind young one," he said and cleared his throat. "Line up," he ordered, walking closer to them.

All did as they were asked, Heather having Kami stand between her and Rylea. Rona stayed next to her cousin, keeping her hand kept tightly over her mouth as Rylea tried to yell things at the blonde that only came out as angered muffles. Keish took up the other end, laughing at her friend. Heather just pretended she couldn't hear a thing that Rylea was trying to shout at her.

Leinto sighed and shook his head at the five young girls, his hair swishing to either side as he did. "This is serious, you all need to understand that first off," he said, looking at each of them. "This is your destiny to accept this armor and use it to defeat this new evil." He paused for a moment before he continued, "You are Earth's last defense, Earth's last hope. You are the lady Ronins, sworn protectors of Earth and all the people who inhabit it. You are the ones who will bring light to the darkness that is slowly coming."

Leinto waved his robed arm out as five orbs appeared: Red, blue, green, orange and light blue. Each orb floated over to its respective owner. Each looked in wonderment and slight fascination at the orbs that magically could defy gravity and float on its own. Each girl took the orb, looking it over for a minute or two. Rylea suddenly let out a gasp as she looked up with a bright smile on her face. "I remember this thing! I used to play with it when I was little, and my Dad would get real mad," Everyone but Leinto started to laugh as she looked at each of them with confusion as to why they were laughing.

Leinto smiled a weary smile at Rylea, "I think I will enjoy being your charge especially, Rylea, young bearer of the Wildfire armor. You, being the leader, have no idea what kind of responsibility awaits you."

"Ah?" Rylea said, looking over to her cousin with a raised eyebrow. "Translation please."

Rona sighed, "Lea, don't make me hurt you."

"Each one of these orbs has its own unique Kanji or virtue," Leinto continued, "Trust, Justice, Wisdom, Life and Virtue." Each orb glowed and came to life at the mention of its Kanji. While the same kanji came to life on the girls' foreheads. "Welcome to the world of the warriors, my young ones." He finished, looking at each girl with a loving and knowing smile.

"This is not happening to me," Heather commented, staring at the green orb in her hand that glowed with the sign of wisdom.

"This is a dream," Kami said, holding up the light blue orb that she held in her hand. Her orb glowed with the sign of trust.

"What are we in for?" Rona asked, examining the dark blue orb in her hand. The midnight sphere glowed with the sign of life.

"Cool!" Keish shouted, bouncing her orange orb in her hand. The sign of justice glowed brightly on it.

"Bring it on," Rylea said, a challenging look on her face as the red orb in her hand glowed brightly with the sign of virtue.

None of the young bearers of the ronin armor could have in their wildest dreams ever imagined this would happen to them. None of the young girls had any idea what lay in store for them. What dangers and long, grueling wars lay ahead of them? This is where their story will begin.

****

A/N: ok on an end note I would like to thank CotA for proofreading this and to Sifirela who also looked over this and of course I can't forget Rogue Ronin. Thank you all very much.


	3. Part2: Closing Thoughts

****

The Calling of Destiny

Part 2: Closing thoughts

-Ryo-

Watching my little girl out here practicing today still seems strange to me. I keep thinking that this isn't real, that this isn't happening to her. I want to believe that this is all some kind of bad dream and any minute now I'm going to wake up from it ---but of course it's not. This is real, my fears are coming true and I hate this. I hate the fact that I have no choice but to let her. 

I can remember the day she was born like it was yesterday ---it was one of the greatest days of my life. While you're holding your baby in your arms you never think or even fathom, that one day you will be watching that same little girl learning how to use an armor, your armor, to fight an evil. The thought never crosses your mind. Unless you're a Ronin Warrior, a lonely solider who only has bloodshed and fighting for a past.

I don't know, I guess I never really thought or maybe I'd hoped that this wouldn't happen to her. So much for hoping, right? When you think about it, where does hoping really get you? In my case, not very far. I kept the secret of who I really was, and still was, from her in hopes that she would never have to know about it. Never have to go through what I had went through ---so much for that.

Loosing Luna the way I did and finding myself at 26 raising two kids alone was hard enough, but now I have to deal with this also? I'm still undecided as to which one is worse ---loosing the woman I loved or having my baby girl fight in a battle that will change her forever. What if something was to happen to her? I'd never be able to live with myself if something did. I'd blame myself for the rest of my miserable life. What am I saying, of course I would blame myself. That's what I do, I blame myself when things go wrong. 

I guess, in a way, being a Dad has changed the way I think and feel about things. Maybe it has for all of us, maybe in some little way being fathers has made us all have a different out look on life, but God do I ever wish that I could take her place. I hate to see her innocence taken from her like this. Rylea has a hard enough life as it is and this is the last thing she needs to deal with right now.

But there's nothing I can do. All I can do is just watch her slowly be scared by war ---a war that she and the other girls should have no part in. Be here to lend a shoulder for her to cry on when it all gets to be too much for her and assure her that everything will be ok. As much as I want to, I can't change her destiny. None of us can change any of this, even if we wanted to. You know, in a way, all of us are responsible for this happening to our daughters. Will we all be able to bare it if anything happens to them? Will we all be able to follow the rules of the game and let them go in this alone?

****

-Rylea-

Who does this guy think he is? He acts like none of us know how to fight or do anything. Well doesn't he have a big surprise coming to him cuz we do. Our fathers taught us everything we know. My Dad started to teach me how to fight and use katana blades when I was only seven. It had only been three years after my mother had been taken from us. I guess it was just his way of keeping his mind off things ---or was it?

Looking back on all of this now I'm starting to think that maybe he knew this was going to happen. Maybe he was trying to prepare me for it when this did happen to me. That can't be the case though because he taught Ryu too. Ryu was good, maybe because he was older, but I think the talent skipped a generation if you know what I mean. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not the best either. There's times that I can remember my Dad just shaking his head at me or sighing when I messed up three and four times in a row on something that was very simple to do. It didn't help any when my retarded brother would start with his stupid comments too, but I got him back real good when my Dad wasn't looking. 

I look over at my Dad who has come outside now along with my uncles. He has this expression on his face that I can't quite read. Is he sad? Or maybe he's scared? Or could he be proud? Maybe it's a mix off all three, I'm not sure. All I know is that the look on my father's face is an expression I very rarely see. It's an expression that I hate to see. 

My father and I are close, very close you could say. Ever since my mother died, I guess, I kinda clung to him more than I thought I did. Like I thought that if I let him go then I would lose him too. He'd leave me just like my mother did and to a four year old this seems very logical. I didn't want to lose my father so I just grabbed onto him for dear life and I wouldn't let him go. I couldn't and I really don't think I wanted to. But like I said, I was four and it seemed like the best thing to do at the time. Although, I've always had a really tight bond with my father. I don't think he ever had a moment to himself, well, unless I was sleeping. Then it was free time for him. 

You see for as long as I can remember my father has always been there for me. Always been there to support me, to lend me a shoulder to cry on, to cheer me up when I was down. In a lot of ways he's like my rock ---my savior. I really can't picture him not being here and if he wasn't I really don't know what I would do. 

Now that I think about it, I wonder what me having to fill his shoes and bear his armor is going to do to him. I remember when he used to tell me stories about the Samurai Troopers ---little did I know the Samurai Troopers legend was really the Japanese version of them selves. I was really hearing about his memories of long grueling wars, but that's neither here nor there. He told me once that being in wars makes a person grow up and mature. Am I going to grow up and mature? Is this going to be like the first day of school when I started kindergarten? He walked me to the bus stop but then couldn't seem to let me go. Is he going to be able to let me go this time?

This whole battle and war thing doesn't bother or scare me. I guess its because in some little way I've always wanted to be a Samurai Trooper/ Ronin Warrior --- which ever one you prefer. It fascinated me as a child to hear the legends about these brave samurais who faced an evil emperor. I used to pretend I was one of them and my brother was the evil emperor, but we're getting off the subject now. 

I'm worried about my Dad. Some how I have this really bad feeling that this is going to ware on him more than it's going to on me. I know this whole thing must be just eating him up inside, knowing that he can't hold my hand and help me through this or deal with this himself. I know he'd love to just tell Leinto to go screw himself, that he's not going to let me fight ---but he can't, unfortunately. That would be fun to see though. 

You know, in some ways its almost as if I can hear what he's thinking; feel what he's feeling right now. Crazy talk right? I don't know, I've always been like that though. Sometimes I used to think I was some kind of witch or something because I could hear or feel things that other people couldn't. I've never told my Dad about that. He had enough to worry about and I didn't want to add to it. Besides, me walking up to my father and saying, "Hey Dad, how's it going oh and by the way, I can hear what you're thinking" sounds a little strange don't ya think?

You know what's even funnier is that as I look around at all the faces of my friends ---Leinto's still droning on about only God knows what, they all look either scared or confused. Two things that I'm not at the moment. Is that normal? Should I be afraid? Should I be confused? Well if I should I'm not. If anything I'm hyped; I want to start fighting right now. I can't wait to be able to get my father's, wait no, my armor on and start kicking demon butt. I get to fight and not get in trouble for it, how great is that? Pretty great right, but is it really though? I'm fighting an evil but at what cost? I don't think me fighting is what has my father so strung out. He knows something that I don't. But what is it?

This Leinto guy seems like he's going to be good for a few laughs. At least I know I have insured entertainment while he drones on about useless stuff that none of us are going to follow. The only one who's probably listening to him is my cousin and well maybe Kami too. When you get right down to it I'm going to fight how I was taught to fight and nothing he has to say is going to change that. If he doesn't like it than that's just too bad for him. Rylea Marie Sanada, the great female ninja, changes who she is for _no_ one.

****

-Rowen-

How did everything go so wrong so fast? Everything was fine until Leinto showed up one night at my house and told me my daughter would be fighting, in my armor, a new evil. From there everything just seemed to quickly spiral down into the chaos that we know now. Why can't we all just have a break? Can't we just finally put the armors to rest? I know that's what we all thought we could do. After that last battle and we all got on with our lives, getting married and having kids, we thought we would never have to see those armors again. 

We thought wrong, dead wrong. Now not only are they back but our daughters, our little girls, have to use them. They have to fight in a war that by all rights should have ended years ago. A war that should have started and ended with us. But I guess that's just not how things go ---not for us anyway. Things can never go right for us and they never have either.

Peace is something that we can only hope for and hoping never gets anyone anywhere. It hasn't gotten us anywhere yet and you see how long we've been hoping for it. If anything, we've only been dealt out worse hardships by hoping for peace.

Look at all of us now, the great Ronin Warriors, having to deal with our worst fears ---our children fighting in battle. It finally came true after all these years. The one thing that all of us use to talk about amongst ourselves when we first got married and started having kids was ---would they have to fight? We all hoped that they wouldn't, any of them, but look at what hoping got us ---exactly what we had feared would happen. Lady luck just does _not _like us any more.

Why the girls though? Why couldn't our sons fight? What is going to happen that is so important that our daughters have to fight and not our sons? Have any women even actually ever put on mystical armor, this armor, and fought in all the years that these blasted armors have been around? I thought, we all thought, that if and when the time ever came for our armors to be called on again that the armors would pick our sons ---what a blow that was when Leinto said our _daughters _would be fighting. 

Well, I think all we can do is do some more hoping ---a lot of good that's done us, but that's all we can do. All we can do is hope that ever thing will turn out all right. Trust that we have taught them enough to get them all through this battle _alive_. 

****

-Rona-

How did I go from being the daughter of the smartest man alive and world-renowned doctor to being the daughter of a Ronin Warrior? I didn't even know that they actually existed, none of us did ---we all just thought that they were just a legend, a Japanese myth, but look ---they're real as real can be.

Not only are they real, but my father is one of them ---Rowen of Strata to be precise. I'm now going to be known as Rona of Strata, not just Rona Hashiba school genius and cousin to Rylea Sanada ---is it just me or does that seem a little strange to any one else?

I'm a thinker not a fighter, Rylea and Keish are the fighters. Heck, I have to practically watch my cousin like a hawk to keep her from getting in trouble everyday at school for beating someone who decided to call her gajin that day. I'm the level headed one who hasn't gotten in trouble ---except for when my cousin decided she needed an accomplice in some of her bright ideas and gets me in trouble, other then that I'm a good girl. The teachers pet to a certain extent even. I'm not the type to fight!

Why do we have to fight? Why do _I_ have to fight? Why can't we just let the ones who actually _want _to fight, fight this evil? Rylea and Keish look like they're more then ready to pick up a weapon and fight. Heather's too afraid she'll break a nail and Kami is too kind hearted and sweet to want to fight. How are we all going to manage with just two people who actually want to fight?

God must hate me. Why else would He put this kind of burden on five 14 year old girls who are just trying to survive High School? I can't think of any other reasons right now but as soon as I can think of another one I'll be sure and say it. Oh no, I'm starting to sound like my cousin. Oh no no no no, that is _not_ a good thing. 

Moving off the subject of my cousin and her rebel attitude, this Leinto guy seems like maybe he'll be ok. He seems to generally care about our safety and the safety of the world. At first though, I thought this was some kind of prank. A good laugh for our Dads at our expense, but when I saw the look on my Dad's face ---I knew it was real. 

That moment when we all found out who our Dad's were and what we were going to be doing ---that moment changed my life forever. My heart sunk and all I could think was that this wasn't real. That somehow there was some kind of mistake. Why couldn't our brother's fight? Kyle can fight, a lot better then I can and I know Kayto and Ryu can fight. I've seen enough of Ryu and Lea's little sibling fights to know that he can fight very well.

Lea's a ninja descendent for crying out loud and what am I, I'm just half a ninja descendent. My mother's the one who has ties to the Sanada family and ninja clan, but she can't fight. Any of the ninja techniques and moves I know Lea's taught me --and she hasn't taught me a lot.

You know, to be totally truthful, I'm scared. I'm frightened to death by all this. What is going to happen? Can we all pull together and win?

****

-Sage-

Well here we go, round three good versus evil. Only difference ---we're not fighting this time. This time around our _daughters _will be fighting. What was the ancient thinking when he decided to send Leinto to awaken our daughters to fight? What do five 14 year old girls know about fighting evil emperors hell bent on taking over the Earth? Not a whole lot.

I would really like to have a chat with the person in charge in deciding who gets the armors next and when. They made a big mistake when deciding to give the girls the armor. Not that I'm against women using the armor ---no, that's not it at all. I'm against _my _daughter using the armor. Heather is not the right person for this. Why couldn't the armor have picked Hojo? Now my son would have been right for the armor, but even him I wouldn't want to have to fight.

What's the new threat this time? Is Talpa back? No way, we've killed him at least two times ---there's no way he could be back. Besides I think I remember Leinto mentioning a _new _evil. I guess that means all new warlords and a new psycho emperor to deal with. Oh great joy.

This has disaster written all over it ---I just know it. Give an armor to a 14 year old girl who has other things on her mind besides the end of the world and you're going to get a big disaster. Am I the only one who seems to be taking that into consideration here? Think about it, my daughter cringes at the thought of getting even the slightest bit dirty ---are you seeing the picture yet?

Heather never wanted to train with Hojo and me ---and when she would we'd always wish we'd just let her go off. Yes, Heather knows how to fight and is somewhat skilled with a nodatchi, but she lacks the enthusiasm to fight. She'd rather be chatting on her phone with her friends or reading her magazines while painting her nails then out fighting to save the world. Let's just face it ---Heather does not have the fighter's spirit. 

Oh great God, please watch over them. I trust that Leinto knows what he's doing but I'm not sure that I like the fact my daughter has to use my armor. I'd rather just call upon the armor again and fight this with the guys ---but I can't. I have to let my little girl fight and learn what it's like to be in a battle and depend on other people and she do the same. She'll have to learn what fighting for your life really feels like ---what fighting to save the lives of others is like. But can she do this? Can my pampered, non-fighter, Heather actually pick up a nodatchi and fight for someone other then herself? For all of our sake I hope she can.

****

-Heather-

Oh my fashion God, what is going on? Who is the creep who needs to do something about his hair and not to mention he might want to get a new outfit. I think the whole robe thing went out in the medieval time. What's with the stick he carries around? Somebody help me I've falling asleep in a very bad nightmare and can't wake up!

Blah, blah, blah, what is this guy babbling about? He talks more then my father does when he goes off into one of his speeches about my family and responsibilities. Yeah so my family is the proud Date clan from Sendai, big deal. I think I'm going to do what I usually do in these situations and just tune out to what he's saying. Seems like the best thing to do.

Hm, now let's see ---who can I start on first. Why not Rylea, she's one of my fave people to rat on. She's always gotta show off and act like she's somebody. Ha, she's somebody who obviously doesn't understand the concept of fashion. Although I will give her this: she does have her moments when she can come up with some nice outfits. That doesn't happen very often. She acts like she such a tomboy, her and Keish both. I don't know how Kami can stand to hang around them. All they do is play with the boys and get into fights. Bleh, gross.

Then again when you have a father like Uncle Ryo who lets you get away with almost anything I guess you kinda would fight all the time and just act like an all out rebel. She annoys me so much. How can she not even wear any make up and still be pretty? I can't even think about going out of my house without my make up on ---I just can't! 

Anyway, what's the deal with these armors he keeps rattling on about? Am I going to have to fight? No, dear God say it isn't so! I don't wanna fight, I don't, I don't, I don't! Let Rylea and Keish fight 'til their little hearts are content ---I, under no circumstances, am going to fight. Heather Lynn Date is a lover, not a fighter. Leinto can take his stupid armor and stick it somewhere. 

****

-Kento-

Well this was a big surprise. Who woulda thought that my little Keish would have to put on my armor and fight? Heh, I sure didn't. I always thought Kayto would have to some day ---not Keish. Aw well, same difference to me. Both my kids can kick any dynasty demon's ass no problem. Let them try and take over this world and they got another thing coming. Although I'm kinda sad to part with the armor ---all the fun I had kickin dynasty creeps is over and now I have to pass it on. Oh well, I think I'll be ok. If Keish can make me proud and wield my armor well then I'll be ok.

To tell ya the truth I think all the guys are makin a big deal outta nothin. I mean, we weren't much older then them when we were thrust into battle and look how we turned out. Those guys just worry too much if you ask me. We've been training our kids since they were little and now its all going to pay off. But I'm still a little confused, like the guys, on why the girls got picked and not the boys. I mean, we all figured that they would be picked and not the girls but look ---weren't we wrong! 

Well I really don't have much to say. I'm gonna back Keish up any way I can and let Leinto try and stop me and fists will be flying. 

****

-Keish- 

Whoa man, too much too fast. I mean the whole idea of fighting is really cool but with armor? Is that even legal? I'm used to fighting with just my fists and feet, but now I'm going to be using an armor and magical powers to fight. This should be fun. Give me this armor and let me go! I wanna kick some demon booty! Woo-who!

But wait a minute, why did we get the armor? Why not our brothers? Ha, in your face Kayto I got it and you didn't. Ha, ha, ha, but seriously ---why us? Our fathers first fought with it and now we're going to. Are we like the first females to ever use this armor? Even better man!

I wonder what little miss blondie has to say about all this. Heck if I know Heather she's prolly flipping out about how dirty she's going to get and trying to find all kinds of ways to get out of this. I know my girl Lea's all geared up and ready to kick some butt. The ninja of our group is always ready and willin to fight ---no doubt about that. Now Kami is another story. My girl Kami hates to fight. I mean hates with a capital H-A-T-E. She'd rather settle things non-physically then just duke it out. She's prolly freaking out too. Now Rona ---little genius is prolly going out of her mind too about all this. She may be related to Lea, but she doesn't have the fight in her like Rylea does. Poor Rona and Kami ---I feel bad for them. Heather's just a big baby who needs to grow up and get over her self. I think doing some fighting will be a good thing for the blondie. 

Leinto's starting to bore me with all his talking. I wish he'd just give me the armor and just shut up. You think he would if I told me too?

****

-Cye-

Why now? Why them? Why would they by chosen? Why couldn't our sons have been chosen to fight ---at least then I would have felt a little better. Why do they have to fight at all? I hate to think of what this fighting is going to do to my poor Kami. She's so much like me, doesn't like to fight and always sweet to everyone ---this fighting is going to change all that. 

All of us feared that one day it would come and now this day is here and we all have to face it. None of us like the idea of letting our daughters fight but I think Ryo hates it more then any of us ---he seemed pretty upset when we all had agreed that we should tell them about our past. Who can blame him. He lost Luna in a very tragic way and ever since then he's been just a little more than overly protective of Rylea and Ryu. I think this whole having her fight thing has a larger meaning to him. He hates letting her fight because of a different reason then all of us.

Ryo doesn't like to talk about anything personal too much and us guys have learned to let him have his space ---his temper is something we don't like to see. Kento doesn't have a problem with letting Keish fight and we all expected that from him. This is Kento we're talking about after all. Sage seems to be concerned about letting Heather and well ---we kinda figured he would be. Rowen seems to feel confident in his daughter but, like all of us, doesn't want to let her fight. 

None of us like the idea, but we have no choice. Can we let them fight on their own or will we break the rules and fight with them?

****

-Kami-

Fight? Me fight? I don't think I can do this. I'm not the fighting type. I'd rather talk something out then come to blows about it and now I'm being forced into a war I had nothing to do with. But why? Why must I fight? Can't we decide whether or not we want to fight? Shouldn't we have that choice? This all doesn't seem fair to me. We're not even being given a choice and this armor is just being shoved in our faces and we have to take it like it or not. Things are happening just a little too fast.

One minute I'm just Kami Mouri, the fastest kid on the swim team and now I'm Kami Mouri ---daughter of Cye of the Torrent. When did that happen? All of us thought that our Dads just grew up together and that's why they're so close but now we know the real reason behind it ---they met during a battle a long time ago and grew closer together because of it. They're all like brothers now because they all were in the same war ---they fought along side each other.

Once again I come back to the fighting part. Sure I know how to defend myself, but to fight, as in like Rylea and Keish ---I don't think I can do it. I'm the one who has to break up Lea and Heather's fights, not the one to start one. I'm the mediator not the fighter. 

Some how I just know this is going to change all of us. Maybe even bring us closer together ---although I don't know how much closer we can be. We're all like sisters in a way. We've grown up together, shared each other's pains, been there for each other ---we were all there for Lea when her mom died. Poor Lea, she was really broken up about it. Although she doesn't talk about her mom and she says she doesn't remember her that well ---we all know it still hurts her. 

Well I'm not exactly thrilled about this whole going into battle with our Dad's armor, but I trust this Leinto guy. I think everything will turn out ok in the end ---or at least I hope it will. I guess only time will tell, right?

****

A/N: Ok, it took me a long time to finish this but I finally have. I think I'll try and get the real series up sometime real soon. I have it started, just not typed up yet. I hope you all enjoyed this and I'm really sorry that I had to make the first part so long, but I didn't want to make it into a chapter so I had to. This is the official ending to, I guess you could call it a prologue into the real story ---go figure. Hope you liked it and I'd love to hear any feed back on this. Thanks!


End file.
